On our first day in San Antonio, we began the San Antonio Mission Trail at The Alamo. After leaving Natural Bridges, we picked up the trail again.
Mission Concepcion
Our first stop was Mission Concepcion, located about three miles south of downtown San Antonio. Established in 1731, Mission Concepcion is one of the country’s oldest original stone churches. The church is open and continues to serve the community.
Mission San Jose
Our next stop along the mission trail was Mission San Jose. This large complex, known as the “Queen of the Missions,” was established in 1720. One of the ornate and mysterious features of this mission is the Rose Window, located on the south wall of the church sacristy.
Were the carvings a declaration of the sculptor’s love for his sweetheart, Rosa, who was lost at sea on her way to join him, or was it named after Saint Rose, the first saint in North America?
The Rose Window or Rosa’s Window
Mission San Jose Church
Mission San Juan
Mission San Juan Capistrano moved to its current location in 1731, about two and a half miles south of Mission San Jose along the mission trail.
An interesting detail about this mission is the three churches within the mission walls. The first church was completed by the mid-1750s and was used to hold services. About twenty years later, the building of a second church began. This church remained unfinished, perhaps due to a lack of laborers. The third and present-day church is still open and serves the small community surrounding the mission.
The Interior of the Mission San Juan Main Church
Adjacent to Mission San Juan is the Yanaguana Trail. We discovered the trailhead while strolling behind the mission and decided to walk the trail and escape into the shade.
Mission Espada
The last stop on the San Antonio Mission Trail was Mission Espada. Established along the banks of the San Antonio River in 1731, Mission Espada remains an active part of the community.
One of the mission’s attention-getting features is the doorway arch. There are several theories regarding the unique design. Some think it was the builder’s mistake, placing the bricks incorrectly in the absence of the architect. Others believe it was intentional. What do you think?
Unique Doorway Arch to Chapel
Walls from early structures at Mission Espada
After walking to the end of the stone wall around the mission, we noticed a sign for the San Antonio River Walk. Curious to see where it leads, we took a quick stroll on this portion of the trail. Not too far up the path, we saw this extraordinary structure.
Tree of Life Sculpture near Mission Espada
We had so much fun exploring the Mission Trail that we didn’t get back to Fort Sam Houston and our dogs until late in the afternoon. After a stroll around the RV park with our pups, we ate dinner and began packing for our next stop.
In the morning, we left San Antonio and drove to Rockport, Texas, for a week’s vacation to visit friends and explore the area. You can read about the places we visited in and around Rockport here.
Peggy Staver, the author of this blog, is a freelance copywriter specializing in outdoor recreation and hospitality. You can contact her at PSCopywriting.com. The majority of photos are taken by Photography by Andreas. Visit his portfolio here.
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*More information regarding the San Antonio Missions: While researching additional information for this post, I discovered that all five of the San Antonio Missions were added to the World Heritage List in 2015. Click the link if you are interested in learning more about this organization that seeks to protect and preserve cultures all over the planet.